FOOTBALL

Some Christmas Night History

Entering the 1969 football season, USC’s defensive line became known as the “The Wild Bunch” based on the now-classic Western movie that came out that year.

The Wild Bunch consisted of defensive ends Jimmy Gunn and Charles Weaver, tackles Al Cowlings and Tody Smith along with middle guards Willard ‘Bubba’ Scott and Tony Terry.

But USC coach John McKay wasn’t thrilled with the group entering the 1969 season-opener against Nebraska.

“I don’t know what they’re wild about,” McKay said.

But McKay made it clear he expected them to play well against Nebraska.

“If they don’t, I won’t come back with them,” McKay said.

USC defeated Nebraska, 31-21, after leading 28-7 with 6:31 left in the game. The defense allowed opponents to average 2.3 yards per carry that season.

  • The Boston Celtics announced the death of K.C. Jones today. Jones won an Olympic gold medal, two NCAA titles and 12 NBA titles as a player/assistant coach/head coach.

But this is the craziest thing I never knew about Jones: He created football’s bump-and-run defense after being drafted by the Los Angeles Rams. Read it here.

Jones scored eight points when the University of San Francisco defeated USC, 58-42, on Dec. 3, 1955.

USF led, 43-16, when Bill Russell left the game early in the second half after he scored 24 points, grabbed 20 rebounds and blocked 10 shots in 25 minutes. At one point, Russell scored 10 straight points and USF raced out to a 16-2 lead. He made 11 of 16 shots in the game.

Jack Dunne, a 6-3 forward, led USC with 11 points while team captain Tony Psaltis added 10.

32 thoughts on “Some Christmas Night History”

  1. Finally a silver lining to the Helton years. I received a USC Hawaiian shirt that I have wanted. They’re too expensive according to my wife considering that she can go to Walmart. However the merchandise ain’t moving because nobody’s watching the Trojans. Thanks Helton. Merry Christmas

    Liked by 2 people

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      1. In every game someone must be the loser. That’s why Ucla will always be important to USC. You can find their merchandise donated unsold at the Goodwill

        Liked by 3 people

      3. I like what the U. C. Chancellor said about the unsold 2020 U. C. gear: “We’ve made it available –that’s all we can do. With all the toilet paper shortages this year you’d think people would be grabbing it up….. but a lot of people don’t plan for the future….”

        Liked by 1 person

      4. That is an insult to Hee Haw to be mentioned in the same sentence as UCLA. What is it now, five straight losing seasons? So bad that even Clay Helton has a winning a record against them. They pay big bucks for a coach who has a losing record against Helton–they should ask for a refund. And basketball, isn’t that supposed to be their sport? Going on 50 years since the glory years of Sam Gilbert.

        Liked by 2 people

      7. UCLA #1 public University: Jackie Robinson, Arthur Ashe, Rafer Johnson.

        Clown U #85 private University: O. J. Simpson, Dr. Geo. Tyndall, Dr. C. L. Max Nikias, St. Pat etc,

        MG, I’ll bet 100% of Clown U’s Mainland Chinese Student Body have zero interest in SUCC’s FB team. Sure SUCC lucked out and defeated UCLA but then Mighty SUCC Choka, Choka, Choka, Choka, Choked away thePAC-12 Championship at home, in the Crumbling Mausoleum – power weeny SUCC FB.

        Correct me if I’m wrong MG, but haven’t the Blog Clownster’s been whining day and night about the 3-2 Oregon defeat since that fat, ineligible receiver/ bozo lineman was pushed out of bounds.

        BTW MG, has Solvis come too yet?

        #Solvis: “Where is I.”
        #Clown U FB program: Div. 1 FB’s version of Hee Haw.
        #”Any team, anytime, anywhere”……….LFOL…..Yeah sure.

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      9. I’ve told my pal Owns that nine glasses of eggnog are fine —- but he needs to draw the line after that….
        #SaveSomeForFuckYou

        Liked by 2 people

      10. When just owns cannot defend his athletic claims, he tries to change the subject, only to lose again. Let me underline a key word here so he understands: top PUBLIC university.
        USC is in category of top PRIVATE schools where the competition includes all of the Ivy League schools, MIT, Stanford, Chicago, CalTech, Northwestern, Duke and so on. According to the USNews&WR, USC is 24th for top non-Ivy League schools. If look at ALL universities, UCLA (20) and USC (24) indistinguisable in the latest USN&WR. So not only did just owns make a false comparison, also misrepresented USC’s ranking.

        Liked by 2 people

      11. “Owns misrepresented USC.” Yes, he does that sometimes, Old Smokey. USC represents something to my friend, Owns. [Just as Trump represents something to my friend, Owns]. Not sure what —but whatever “it” is….. “it’s” not good…..And, if “it’s” bad, my friend Owns doesn’t need to be fair when attacking “it” (whatever “it” is)……
        #That’sMyTakeOnThings

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    1. Here’s what Helton said —verbatim—about the Pac 12 Championship Game: “Usually we don’t win those games.”
      #Exactly….
      #[What’sNotToLikeAboutThisMan]?

      Liked by 1 person

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  5. USC has always been about competition! Proof on a national level is the Notre Dame rivalry that is 80 plus years old. Paris Helton is ruining the USC brand!

    Liked by 3 people

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  6. I was the Co Captain of the 1969 Team along with the great Jimmy Gunn. It was a great trip to Lincoln, everything was red in town…the Hotel, the sheets, the towels, the locker room at the stadium, everything ! It was a sell out and a very tough game. Remember, the next two years, Nebraska was National Champs…
    Our defense was terrific and set the tone for the rest of the season. We went 10-0-1 .. a .955 winning percentage.. 5th best in the 132 year history of USC football!! We best Michigan 10-3 in the 1970 Rose Bowl and some how only finished 3rd in the pols. We beat Michigan who beat the current National Champ, Ohio State, to go to the Rose Bowl..
    Coach McKay was the best! unlike our current inept, pansy ass Helton.
    I cannot believe the current state of USC Football. Not going to a bowl game. What a opportunity missed to develop other players! But this dimwit Helton never has developed any players. What an embarrassment!
    We need to hire Urban Meyer immediately and get the program back on
    track. I hope Folt and Bohn realize this, but i seriously doubt it!

    Liked by 3 people

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  7. It’s being reported on the Sports Illustrated site that a former USC o-lineman thinks it’d be better if the current Trojan o-line “blocked more.” He pointed out there were several run plays which might have been more successful if someone blocked….and that blocking is an important part of running an offense.
    Next week Sports Illustrated is going to do an entire article on the importance of the Trojan o-line protecting their quarterback from career ending injuries.
    #RecommendedReadingForTimDrevno
    Note To Folt: What do you think it means when no 4 or 5 star o-line player in the country wants to play for your o-line coach?

    Liked by 2 people

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    1. MG, you might as well be shouting your schtick into an Arctic storm. No one that counts at Clown U gives a sh*t what you post.

      You’re the national poster boy symbolizing the classic Einstein definition of insanity.

      #ClownU:Power3.2FB
      #UCDavis:Don’tcallus,we’llcallyou.

      Liked by 1 person

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      2. The Artic wind will carry his message far and wide for all the world to hear–thanks for the idea. (P.S. Should be “…Einsteinian definition…” But not to worry, we make allowances for those who don’t know any better)

        Liked by 2 people

      3. Fuc off owns speak for yourself. You come on here stalking USC fans like that other low life pos Tebow buckethead Obama. Your team sucks every fucin year. So you get some liquid courage and come on here talking nonsense garbage to USC fans and conservatives. Nothing but a pathetic bitter liberal lush with a Trojan fetish, Bruin Rob. The less of you and the more of MG the better for this blog. I got your booger coming out of my nose. While you talk out of your ass. 11 year stalker on this blog now coming on here seeking attention. Nothing but a clown, a glutton for punishment for us fans.

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  8. You go to a bowl game and you get 2 weeks extra practice and a game up on those that don’t go.
    #CoachHeltonSaysWePracticedEnough
    #CalGuySaysThankYou
    #UtahGuySaysThankYou
    #UCLosAngelesGuySaysThankYou
    #OregonGuysSayThankYou
    #AzGuysSayThankYou
    #FurdGuySaysMuchasGracias
    #WashiesSayThanks
    #RockiesAreStoned

    Liked by 1 person

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  9. Old Smoky, it’s Einstein’s, the noun, definition of Insanity, not the adjective Einsteinian definition of insanity. Ignorance is bliss eh Smoky.

    David Cornwell, said, and I paraphrase here: The less adjectives in scribing, the better. Cheers Eight Ball.

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  10. Old Smoky, to get into Notre Dame you need a proficiency of Calculus.

    To get into SUCC, you need to fog a mirror, have a huge bank acct. or well-heeled Mommy and Daddy FB boosters or pay for an athletic scholarship. SUCC students can always hire surrogate report writers and test takers.

    Any mention of Clown U in the same sentence with Ivy League or other Universities you mentioned, is just plain ludicrous.

    #SUCC#85
    #Hell,TrumpthestupidcouldgetintoClownU

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